Combination tricycle and bicycle



June 20, 1950 J. w. GALLO, JR., ETAL 2,512,524

COMBINATION TRICYCLE AND BICYCLE Filed Aug. 11, 1949 s Sheets-Shed 1 INVENTORJ JO/zn W dZZO,J BY M1 al 70 June 20, 1950 J. w. GALLO, JR., ET AL 2,512,524

COMBINATION TRICYCLE AND BICYCLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 11, 1949 INVENTORS cfa/zn WLZQZZO,J7

BY Mmazza )M ATTORNEYS June 20, 1950 J. w. GALLO, JR., ETAL 2,512,524

COMBINATION TRICYCLE AND BICYCLE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 11, 1949 INVENTOR5 Jain: g fazlo Mel 62; Z Z 0 MM AT ORNEY Patented June 20, ,1950

orrlcs COMBINATION TRICYCLE BICYCLE John W. Gallo, n, and Michael J. Gallo, West Medford, Mass.-

Application August 11, 1949, Serial No. 109,678

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a combination bicycle and tricycle, and is an improvement over the construction embodied in our pending application Serial No. 76,284, filed February 14, 1949, for Velocipede.

An object of this invention is to provide means for supporting the rear bicycle wheel so that this wheel can be easily and quickly lowered to operative position or raised to inoperative position.

In the carrying out of this invention, a rigid longitudinally curved latch bar is fixed in depending relation to the rear of the tricycle frame,

and the rear bicycle fork has secured thereto a spring-pressed latch member adapted to adjustably lock the rear bicycle fork in adjusted position.

With the above and other objects in view, our invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

In the drawings,

Figure l is a detail side elevation of a combined bicycle and tricycle constructed according to an embodiment of this invention,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the device,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 44- of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l designates generally a frame structure which has rotatably mounted on the forward end thereof a front wheel fork I l to which is secured a handlebar [2. A front wheel [3 is rotatably carried by the fork l l and cranks M are fixed relative to the wheel I3 and carry pedals IS.

The frame It! has a seat It secured thereto, rearwardly from the handlebars l2, and the frame I 0 includes an inverted U-shaped member H, which is secured to the main tubular frame member l8.

A second U-shaped member I!) is secured to the U-shaped member I! and also to the main frame member 18, and is of a width less than the width of the arms of the U-member H. A pair of wheels 20 are rotatably carried by axles 2l which extend through the rear portions of the U-memhers I! and I9, and plates or rests 22 are carried by the axles 2|.

A rear bicycle wheel 23 is rockably carried by the inner portions of the axles 2|, being rotatably mounted on the axle 24 extending through the arms 25 of a rear fork 26.

In order to provide a means whereby the rear bicycle wheel 23 may be vertically adjusted so that this wheel may be either raised to inoperative position above the ground or t an operative position below the horizontal plane of the tricycle wheels 20, I have provided a longitudinally curved and depending latch bar 21 which is fixed to the bight 28 of the U-member H. The latch bar 2? is provided with spaced notches 29 and a spring-pressed latching bolt 30 is engageable in a selected one of the notches 29.

The bolt 353 is slidably carried by a block or housing ill which is secured to the bight 32 of the bicycle fork 26. The block 3| is secured to the bight 32 by means of a threaded stud 33 which is threaded into the rear of the block 3|, and the stud 33 is formed with a reduced diameter threaded stud 34 extending through an opening 35 and secured in position by means of a nut 36. A look washer 31 is interposed between the nut 36 and the concave rear side of the bight 32. The bolt 30 includes a reduced diameter stem 38 which is slidable through the forward portion of the block 3! and a knob or handle 39 is secured to the forward end of the stem 38.

A spring lt is disposed in a bore 4| formed in the block 3i, within which the bolt 30 slidably engages and constantly urges the bolt 30 to latching position.

In the use and operation of this device, when the device is to be used as a tricycle, the rear bicycle fork 26 is rocked downwardly at its forward end by pulling the latch member or bolt 30 forwardly and swinging the block 3| with the fork 25 downwardly. When it is desired to use the device as a bicycle, the fork 26 is raised at its forward end, thereby dropping the rear end thereof and swinging the rear bicycle wheel 23 downwardly to a point below the rear tricycle wheels 20. The rear tricycle wheels Ml will provide a stabilizing or safety means for the device when used as a bicycle so that when the frame 10 is tilted to one side, one of the wheels 20 may engage the ground.

We do not mean to confine ourselves to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What we claim is 1. In a tricycle having a frame, a pair of rear wheels carried by the frame, and a steerable front wheel, a fork rockably carried by said frame between said rear wheels, a wheel rotatably disposed between the arms of said fork, a latch bar dependingly carried by said frame at the forward 3 4 end of said fork, and spring-pressed latch means REFERENCES CITED carried by said fork engaging sald latch bar.

In a tricycle having frame a pair of rear The following references are of record in th wheels carried by the frame, and a steerable front file thls Patent: wheel, a fork rockably carried by said frame be- UNITED STATES PATENTS tween said rear wheels, a wheel rotatably dis- Number Name Date posed between the arms said fork, a longitudinally curved latch bar fixed at one end to said frame iggggig Eati g}; ig? 18;: and dependingiherefrom; said bar having notchesis gk g O t', 1935 spaced along-the convexside thereof, a latch block-10 u fixed to said fork and formed with an opening FOREIGN PATENTS through which said latch bar loosely engages, and umb Country Date a, spring-pressed bolt carried ubyrsaidsbloob forr 6413094: France Apr. 10, 1928 holding said fork in adjusted position.

JOHN Gl rl'illlo,- J83. ll?- MICHAEL J. 

